Changwon Special City to Eliminate Disposable Cups Inside Government Buildings

'Challenge for Zero Single-Use Cup Entry!' Campaign Launched... Public Officials Leading by Example

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam held the 'Zero Disposable Cup Challenge!' campaign in the lobby on the first floor of the city hall main building.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Song Jong-gu] On the 10th, Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam held a campaign titled ‘Zero Disposable Cup Entry Challenge!’ in the lobby on the first floor of the main building of the city hall.

The event aimed to set an example for citizens and create an atmosphere of participation by encouraging all employees to make using reusable cups a daily habit instead of disposable cups.

Since July 1 of last year, the city has been leading by example in reducing disposable products in public institutions by implementing the ‘Changwon Doldol Cup’ project, which rents reusable cups to cafes around the city hall. So far, it has reduced 43,135 disposable cups, cutting carbon emissions by 992 kg.

This is equivalent to the effect of planting 150 thirty-year-old pine trees. Additionally, the city has designated the 10th of every month as ‘Disposable Product Zero Day’ to promote employees not to use disposable cups.

During the campaign, those using the ‘Changwon Doldol Cup’ or personal tumblers were given collection nets made from recycled transparent PET bottle yarn to encourage the use of reusable cups, while also promoting proper separation and disposal of transparent PET bottles, thereby raising environmental awareness among public officials.

Hong Nam-pyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, said, “At a time when the whole world is suffering from plastic pollution, I urge everyone to actively participate in not using disposable cups with the mindset of ‘starting with myself’ rather than ‘it’s just me.’ We will continue to implement sustainable and phased resource circulation policies to foster a culture of reusable cup use so that it can spread more widely among citizens.”